Life is hard but worth it
by L2u9
Summary: You will never know what's going to happen, Dan surely didn't expect this to happen, Blair knew there was no going back.
1. Everything changes

"I'm pregnant."

It took him a moment to realize what those words meant after that, it suddenly hit him. He couldn't help it and walk the few steps that separated them, grabbed her from the waist and hugged her in the air.

"Are you serious?" – He needed to hear it once more.

"Yes Dan, I'm pregnant." – She said while smiling back at him. Her eyes were bright with joy, she couldn't look more beautiful.

"I am going to be a dad" – He put her down and looked her direct into her eyes. – "We're going to be parents Blair."

* * *

><p><em>Three years later<em>

He woke up; he turned his head and smiled, just seeing her sleeping next to him, looking so peacefully made him the happiest man on Earth. He could only imagine what she was dreaming about but he wouldn't dare to wake her up, he would have to wait until she was bright and ready to ask her.

He stood up from their bed and walked into the bathroom, 30 minutes later he was out all dressed up. One normal day was beginning.

Blair was making breakfast, waffles, just like every Sunday. She didn't heard him walking into the kitchen so he sneaked behind her and tickled her on the hip, she jumped and giggled, after two years she didn't get angry no more if he ruined breakfast, after all it was his.

"Good morning darling"- she said turning her head to get a glimpse of what he was wearing, Sundays were days she had the time to complain about the fashion disaster her husband was. This morning his tie and shoes looked terrible but before she could say anything a little voice came from the door.

"Hey momma! Daddy, are we going to the park today?" – Still wearing his pyjamas, their son looked as if a storm had passed through his hair.

"Good morning to you too" –Dan looked over his paper to see his son, already sitting in front of him eating his breakfast, he shook his head and took a sip of his coffee.

"Good morning, so are we going?" –He was getting very impatient and continued to eat the waffles as if his life depended on it.

"Hey slow down, at that pace you'll end up having a stomach ache and the park will have to change for a hospital" –Blair laid a plate in front of her husband and one for herself and sat down.

"You promise we are going to the park, today." –He son wasn't the kind of boy that let things go until he knew he had achieved what he wanted.

"You're showing your mom's side again son." – Dan had always been impress by how similar Blair and his son were.

"Hey what's that supposed to mean?" –Blair asked hitting him with the paper.

"Come on I've been living for the past two years with the most stubborn people in NY and neither of you get to complain about that statement" – He added before any of them could replied – "And yes we are going to the park" – he said this when he noticed his son's mouth opening ready to jump back into the discussion.

She was sitting in the grass, reading, looking from afar. A lot was going through her mind.

"And Nate passes the ball... again Nate with the ball hi runs towards the goalkeeper" – Dan was narrating the "match" while his son tried to score a goal against him- "It's just the two of them, Nate prepares and shoots" – He threw himself to his side and the ball passed him by- "Nate Humphrey scores"

"Goooaal!" His son ran to him and fell over him, crushing him, his father hug him.

Blair couldn't help to smile.

"Mommy, mommy did you see it? I scored." – Her son ran towards her and hugged her too.

"Yes dear it was amazing."- Looking at how happy her son was, her heart was crushed but she needed to stay firm.

Dan came over and asked a man who was passing by to take a picture of them. The three of them look at the camera and smiled. Blair had her arms around his son and Dan was hugging them both from behind.

Everything changed. Dan woke up, she wasn't by his side. She wasn't in the kitchen. She wasn't in their son's bathroom. She was nowhere to be found.

"Dad where is mom?" – That was his son's first question when he woke up. He couldn't answer.

* * *

><p><em>Six months later<em>

Standing in the middle of the kitchen, he cursed, he regretted it when he turned around and saw his son standing on the doormat just like the Sunday before she had left.

"Dad?" – He seemed sad but determined.

"I'm sorry about that, it's just I waffles are not my strength."

His son looked directly into his eyes and said –"Dad, she's gone."

From that moment they never ate waffles again.

The baby started crying.


	2. Something is wrong

_3 years later_

"Hey look there's your brother" – He whispered on her ear. Her daughter waved with her hand in the direction his father was pointing. They crossed the street and met with them.

"Dad, grandma bought me an ice-cream." – Teasing at school was another thing his son had to face up to but apparently there was something of him too because he didn't care what his classmates think or say.

"Did you thank her?" – He put down her daughter and she ran to her grandmother's arm. – "Hello Eleanor"

"Thank you granny" – Not even paying attention of what he was saying because he was too busy trying to eat his ice-cream before it melted.

"You're welcome dear" – She said looking down a moment – "How is the most beautiful girl in the world?"

"I am very well, thank you" – Even though she was adopted her grandmother could see how alike she was to his father. "Well I guess is time for me to go, I'll see you three tomorrow." She kissed both her grandchildren –"Goodbye Daniel."

"Bye Eleanor, thank you" He took his son hands and grabbed her daughter. "Say goodbye to grandma."

"Bye Granny."

"I'll get it" –Nate loved that he was allowed to open the door.

"Ask..." – his son finished the line. "Who is it?" It had to be someone he knew otherwise he had to go to his father and he would come out to see who it was.

"Social Services, we are looking for Mr. Daniel Humphrey."- A not so friendly voice said but Nate was used to these kinds of visits so he opened the door anyways.

"Hello, my dad is in the kitchen."

Dan came out of the room, wearing an apron; the guys from Social Services looked amazed.

"Good afternoon gentleman I'm Daniel Humphrey." – The guys looked rather confused, he took off the apron with a quick move – "Right, sorry about the mess as you can see we are doing some cleaning and we didn't expect you guys." Nate smile at his dad.

"Mr. Humphrey is there somewhere we could talk, privately?" –The tallest one spoke in the same serious tone.

"Sure come into my studio" – He led the way, Nate followed but Dan stood in front of him –"Son could you go and check upon Emma?" The boy left with a resignation face.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" – The two men were sitting down already when he turned to face them so he did the same.

"Mr. Humphrey we are here to inform you that a demand has been presented against you". –The first of them spoke.

"I'm sorry, a demand? Accusing me of what, exactly? And what has to do with that Social Service?" – It had to be some kind of joke, not a very funny one but the tone of the man's voice was too serious.

"Sir we are here to take your children into custody, the details on your demand will be delivered soon in the meantime here is the court order in which the judge has determined that your kids enter the system for their well being."

"What? Is this a joke?" – It was surreal what these people were saying, his kids taken into custody, how could that happen? He read the judge's order. _I declared Mr. Daniel Humphrey incompetent for raising and providing the care needed to the boy Nathaniel Waldorf._-"Waldorf?, my son's last name is Humphrey."

"Mr. Humphrey you read the court order, I have to do my job now, tell your children to come over here." –He was getting impatient but he was used to seeing every parent arguing of how caring and loving they were.

"No. You are not taking them besides this paper says Nathaniel Waldorf, that's not my son, I can prove it, I have his birth certificate." He got up and took out a folder from the top drawer in his desk –"Here... there" he said pointing at his son's name "Humphrey... Now go"

The two men stared at the sheet and looked again at the court order, they realized they couldn't take the kid.

"Mr. Humphrey we don't know what's going on but we can assure you we will talk to our superiors and we will notify you shortly."

The two men walk out of his office without saying another word.


	3. Uncertainty

"Slow down... Calm down... I can't do anything to help you if you don't have a cool head" –Cyrus had been listening to Dan's ramblings for over 15 minutes and the only thing he was sure about, was that something was going on with the children.

Dan was walking desperately all around the studio and couldn't stop thinking of his kids and why would anyone wanted to take them away? Of course the world Waldorf rang a bell but couldn't be sure.

He took a deep breath. – "Two guys, social services, came to my house demanding to take Nate and Emma, they said something about a court order and showed me a paper signed by a judge in which Nathaniel Waldorf was going to get into custody of Social Services until further notice, they didn't take him because luckily I have Nate's birth certificate right there and I demonstrate them that Nate's last name is Humphrey, not Waldorf."

"You said they have a court order?" He still couldn't make sense of what Dan was saying.

"Yes... but it said Waldorf, not Humphrey... of course that got me to thinking..." Cyrus's hand made him a sign to stop and he did, in the meantime, Cyrus begun to write everything he was saying.

"Ok, so you think this has something to do with Blair?"

"Waldorf, who else could it be? It's her, I know it." He still had trouble saying her name, even her last name made his heart shrink after all he loved her and he wasn't sure if the love was gone.

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"November 20th, 2012" How could he ever forget that date?

"That was almost three years ago, right?" –The pain in Dan's face made it hard for him to continue but he knew marking a timeline was the only way to make sure who was behind it all.

"Three years... yes." He sat down and put his hand in his face, he hadn't had a lot of time to think how much time it had passed, for a moment he picture his life if she hadn't left, he smile ironically.

"Has she tried to get in contact with you or your family?"

"You tell me, I haven't heard from her in the past three years, I'm not sure if she has gotten in touch with Eleanor." She had been such a support to him and but that didn't change the fact she was her mother.

"I can assure you she hasn't." Cyrus tone made him confident, even though they weren't related, the two of them and his father were the only people who had support him along the way and he was thankful for that.

"What do we do now?" – The fear of losing his children was growing in him, knowing that he couldn't do anything was killing him.

"First of all I need to find the judge, who signed the court order, then I have to look for the person who filed the case or talk to the lawyer of whomever is behind this, in the meantime you keep on with your normal life and if Social Services knock on your door again you call me immediately, ok?" It was going to be hard to traced that fast but he knew that time was running against them, if the judge had just made a mistake on the last name, he could easily fix it and send another court order by morning.

Dan nodded. "What about them? What should I tell them?"

"Nothing for now, they don't need to suffer something that might not happen."

"I need to talk to you kids." He had been avoiding this for the past month but he knew that his children had the right to know what was going on.

They sat down around the table.

"Daddy is everything ok?" –For a three year old Emma was aware of a lot more than any other kid her age especially in the matter of her father's feelings, there was no way Dan could lie to her about his mood, not that he wanted to.

"No, do you remember those two men that were here about a month ago?" He was already having second thoughts about this but he continued –"The two men I talked to in the studio."

Both kids nodded.

"Well... you need to know who they are and why they were here..." –He took a big breath – "Those men are part of an institution call Social Services, you know them because they make periodical visits to us due to the fact I'm a single dad and because Emma was adopted they would check on her well being, yours too Nate.

"Yes but she's my sister and you're her father as well of mine." –Nate had grown up knowing this and he would never let anyone tell him Emma wasn't his sister.

There was no going back.

"Sometimes life isn't fair, you both know that but we need to make the best of it and keep going no matter what... the thing is this people don't see us as a family, not the way we see it and they will try to separate us but we have to fight back and we have to be strong and always remember that we love each other." The question was coming, he had an answer but it was not good enough.

"Why?" Nate stared at him confused.

"There is some people claiming that I'm not your father, that I'm not a good father and that you children would be better somewhere else." It wasn't hard, it was devastating.

"Who?" This time it was Emma's turn to ask.

He knew who, the week before Cyrus had confirmed that she was behind it all, her and someone he hated deeply; he wasn't sure whether to tell them, not yet.

"That does not matter, right now; the thing is there is a possibility they... convinced... a powerful man that all this is true" – he needed to keep his tone calm but it was hard not letting his voice break- "if that happens they will... separate us... and..."-He couldn't go on, it was clear they didn't understand what was going on. –"If they succeed I want you to remember that I love you that is the only important thing you need to remember."

"But... why?" –What his father was saying made no sense to them; they were happy, why anyone would like to take that happiness away? –"You're a good father."

Dan reached for his kids and hugged them.


	4. Whatever happens

"Come here" Dan was chasing both his kids all over the loft, it was their daily routine "Come on you guys I won't be chasing you forever" Emma and Nate turn around and laugh, and then they kept on running every time he got near them. Dan suddenly stopped in the middle of the living room looking at both and said "Well I guess this weekend I will be going to the movies on my own" The two kids froze and looked at each other with conspiracy looks then they started laughing and running.

There was a knock on the door. Dan went to answer it. "You're going to pay for this."

"I come in peace." Said Nate putting his hands up.

"Nate, ha... sorry I wasn't talking to you... them" Said Dan pointing with his head to his kids who had stopped running to see who was at the door.

"Uncle Nate" Emma and Nate ran towards him and hugged him.

"Hey there, I see your giving your dad a hard time" He narrowed his eyes, both kids responded with puppy eyes so he couldn't help to laugh. "I'm sorry man I can't help you I have to keep my position of _Cool Uncle_."

Dan smiled and shook his head, he still had trouble not giving in to every of his children desires. "Its fine I already told them that there will be no movies this weekend unless they go to bed right now."

Nate and Emma looked defeated. "Fine but after the movies we'll go to the park, deal?" Nate once more showed his ability to get more that what he deserved.

His father looked at them directly in the eyes, he could see the hope and sincerity through them making it impossible to say no "Ok, now off to bed... let's go" They ran away before he could change his mind.

"I don't know how you do it Serena and I still have trouble convincing Andrew to wash his teeth instead of watching TV, it takes me over an hour and now with the baby, I mean is crazy you have two and you are alone..." Nate closed his eyes realizing what he had just said "I'm sorry man ... I didn't mean..."

"Don't worry about it I know what you meant, and yeah its crazy having two kids, believe me" It wasn't the first time people point out he was a single dad, at first he would get annoy but know he was happy that people didn't consider him a bad parent. "You should stop being the cool uncle with you own kid though."

"Yeah I guess... I always wanted Serena to be the mean parent ha" Serena and Nate married soon after Dan and Blair welcomed their first baby, a few weeks before Blair left, Serena gave birth to Andrew, Lily had been born just a few weeks before and it appeared they were having trouble adjusting.

"Don't worry Nate you and Serena will figure it out... so I have the impression you didn't come all the way to Brooklyn for parenting advice... what's up?"

"Right... well..." Dan raised his eyebrows, Nate hesitated a little more but he thought that he would find out eventually so he just said it "Blair's back."

It took Dan a minute to fully understand what Nate had just said. She was back, what does that even meant? Did it really matter? Did this confirm she was the one behind the whole Social Services thing? Dan took a big breath and lean on the counter, he passed his hand through his hair. "Have you seen her?" He asked.

"She came over to visit Serena and meet Lily, Chuck came too." Dan stood there without saying a word. "I thought you should know." Nate wasn't sure how he would react but he still felt he deserved to know, he never thought of a speechless Dan. "Have you nothing to say?"

Dan put his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess... I guess I always knew this was going to happen... I mean think about it, how long can a mother be away from her kid?"

"She asked about him, Serena told me" he added quickly when he saw the disapproval look in Dan's eyes.

"Of course she did." He passed his hand over his shoulder while trying to put his thoughts in order. "I guess she didn't say why she left, did she?"

"I... she did mention something to Serena... she said something about you two having problems back then... she wasn't very specific."

"Problems ha?" Really that's what she had said, them having problems but as far as he was concerned they had overcome worse than the problems they were facing.

"I don't know if I should say this but... she did mention something about not being able..." Dan looked at Nate expectantly "you two not being able to have more kids" Nate finished.

Dan couldn't believe what he was hearing, that was her reason for leaving them, the fact they couldn't have more kids, but how could that be the main reason if they had known that long before she abandoned them, after all he had filed for adoption the moment they heard they might not be able to have children, maybe she had just said that as an excuse to stop Serena from asking but before he could add anything a voice behind him said – "Dad, I can't sleep could you read me a book?" Emma was standing in the hallway in her pyjamas with all her hair tousled "Sure sweetie" These were the kind of things Dan could never deny to his children; Dan looked over to Nate apologizing with his sight.

"It's ok man I really should head back, Serena probably needs reinforcements by now."

"All right, thanks for telling me" He grabbed his daughter and head towards the room "Night"

"Night" He caught a glimpse of Dan and Emma, she was laughing. Blair had no right to destroy that.

"I need to talk to you kids." He had been avoiding this for the past month but he knew that his children had the right to know what was going on.

They sat down around the table.

"Daddy is everything ok?" –For a three year old Emma was aware of a lot more than any other kid her age especially in the matter of her father's feelings, no way Dan could lie to her about his mood, not that he wanted to.

"No. Remember those two men that were here about a month ago?" He was already having second thoughts about this but he continued –"The ones I talked to, in the studio."

Both kids nodded.

"Well... you need to know who they are and why they were here..." He took a big breath – "Those men are part of an institution call Social Services; you know them because they used to make periodical visits to us because I'm a single dad and as you both know Emma was adopted."

"Yes but that doesn't change the fact that she is my sister, and you're her father as well of mine." –Nate had grown up knowing this and he would never let anyone tell him Emma wasn't his sister.

There was no going back.

"Sometimes life isn't fair, you both know that but we need to make the best of it and keep going no matter what... the thing is, this people don't see us as a family, not the way we do and they will try to separate us but we have to fight back and we have to be strong and always remember that we love each other." The question was coming he had an answer but it was not good enough.

"Why?" Nate stared at him confused.

"There is some people claiming that I'm not your father, that I'm not a good father and that you children would be better somewhere else." It wasn't hard, it was devastating.

"Who?" This time it was Emma's turn to question.

He knew who, the week before Cyrus had confirmed that she was behind it all, her and someone he hated deeply; he wasn't sure whether to tell them, not yet.

"That does not matter, right now; the thing is there is a possibility they... convince... a powerful man that all this is true" – he needed to keep his tone calm but it was hard not letting his voice break- "if that happens they will... separate us... and..."-He couldn't go on, it was clear they didn't understand what was going on. –"If they succeed I want you to remember that I love you; that is the only important thing you need to remember."

"But, why?" –What his father was saying made no sense to them; they were happy why anyone would like to take that happiness away? –"You're a good father."

Dan reached for his kids and hugged them.


	5. A blink

"Serena hi, I came as soon as I could, Nate had a soccer game."

Nate wave with his hand and Emma said –"Hi"

"I'm sorry Dan." She seemed as if she was about to cry.

"You're sorry?"

The elevator door opened. Dan turned around to see who had just arrived; his eyes wouldn't believe who he was seeing.

"I'm leaving." –he grabbed his son's hand in an attempt to get out of there as fast as he could.

"Actually Humphrey, we don't care if you go but the kids are staying." A deep grave voice came out of the elevator soon after a man walked into the room. Chuck Bass was staring at Dan as if he was just an insignificant bug.

"Mom?" Even though three years had passed and they had decided to move on, there was not one day that went by without Nate thinking about her and wondered why she had left him.

"No" Dan said steeping in front of Nate to stop him from talking to her, he put down her daughter and kneeled in front of his children –"Emma, Nate could you go to..."

"My room"- Serena finished the line and took both upstairs.

"But dad..."The expression of his father was clear, do not argue; they followed Serena up. Nate kept looking back and Emma was really curious of the two strangers in the room.

Dan turned his attention to the girl who had walked in before Chuck, he wanted to scream at her, demand an explanation but the words wouldn't come out. They stared each other for a few seconds then she looked to the ground.

"Are you going to make things easier Humphrey?"

He didn't take his eyes off her; he could see how nervous she was.

"Why are you doing this?" At last something coming out of his mouth, now it was her turn but she didn't speak, she just look up for a second and look away.

The elevator open once more before anyone could say another word.

"Mr. Humphrey, you're already here, good." One of the guys from Social Services had come into the loft, a police officer followed.

"So as I explained before your kids are changing custodies, Nathaniel will be living with his mother from now on and Emma will go into the system until we find a proper family for her."

Dan felt as if a bucket of cold water had just been thrown to him, he knew something like this could happen but these appearances were completely unexpected.

"I need to talk to my lawyer and you won't do anything until he gets here, understood?"

There was no point on arguing they all knew that he was in his right to have legal representation not that it was going to be any help but they let him call his lawyer.

"Cyrus, could you please come over?... I'm at Serena's... yes... Social Services are here... – He hung up.

Blair had been listening to the conversation, estranged of the fact Dan was talking to her step-father. Ten minutes passed.

Dan couldn't look at her so he decided to go see his children but before he could reach the stairs the elevator opened again and Cyrus walk in, behind him came in Eleanor.

"What are you doing here mom?" – Blair seemed genuinely surprised of her mother's presence, Eleanor barely notice her daughter and walked straight to Dan.

"Where are they?" –The anger in her face, hardly go unnoticed but she didn't care.

"Upstairs, Serena's room" She walked pass him and went to the second floor. Cyrus reached for Dan and whisper in his ear –"Is not looking good son" Dan knew but he wouldn't go without a proper fight.

Then a bomb exploded and there was nothing left to do.

The Social Services workers insisted on being alone with Cyrus for a moment and he agreed. The tension created in those three minutes he was gone couldn't beat the one when a jury is about to give its verdict. Dan kept staring through the window but he could feel her eyes penetrating his neck, Chuck was willing to end this as soon as possible. The three men entered again the room, the tension did not break.

"Dan I need to talk to you know". Dan turned around, caught a glimpse of her and follows Cyrus into the living room.

"It's happening, isn't it? –A month thinking about this and he wasn't even sure if all this was a dream.

"I know you are seeking for my advice but you're not going to like it. I'm going to summarize the situation. Blair, probably influenced by Chuck, presented a petition for the custody of Nathaniel Waldorf, changing the last name for later being able to implied the abduction of the kid..." –He raise his hand before Dan could say a word- "I know, they presented him Waldorf, she never abandoned you instead she woke up and you were gone, you pretended to be stable couple to get Emma and when you were sure she was given to you, you left. Abduction of two kids, that's 10-15 years if this, gets to court and you lose, 5 with an agreement with their lawyers."

He couldn't continue because Dan interrupted him –"But that's not true. She left me. I was left with two kids. I didn't pretend to be a stable couple, we were and when Emma arrived I couldn't let her go. Abduction, how can this be possible? I have witnesses, I been living here for the past 4 years, I haven't been hiding. What about the divorce? She divorced me, I just receive the papers and that was it, we weren't married anymore."

It was Cyrus turn to interrupt –"Actually you're not divorced more likely the marriage was annulled but we still need to clarify the state of your relationship. That's not it. Their story was presented to a federal judge, meaning if proof to be lying, they might spend 10 years in jail for perjury and you won't get the kids."

"What? What do you mean I won't get the kids? I am their father." –Nothing made sense.

"There is one more thing, Chuck and... they presented DNA test, I'm sorry Dan but... Chuck is Nate's father..." –He had to tell him, he deserved the truth, he only wished he could do anything to help him but it wasn't looking good.

"No. He is my son. She couldn't... she didn't..." – Cyrus handed him a sheet of paper, Dan opened it with tears in his eyes. His world was falling apart. –"So this means... what about Emma?"

Cyrus nodded. "Not her either, the thing is, you lied to Social Services when you received her, you never mention Blair's leaving, if you had, you probably wouldn't have ended with Emma in the first place, now Social Services won't present any charges if you dropped every intention of fighting for her, she is going into their custody, tonight."

"Foster care? My daughter is going into foster care? No, I'm not going to let that happen." His voice broke; he sat down and hides his face in his hands.

"If you don't fight back Social Services assures me that she will be place in a nice family, Dan I know this is too much to take in but I can't do anything and neither can you. On Emma's case I recommend to let her go, it's the best thing to do. Nate on the other hand you have to consider whether you want him with Blair or end up just like Emma, in a stranger's home."

"She is a stranger to him, to all of us." He hated her, he wanted to scream to God, he blamed himself for Emma and Nate, not being his son, he just couldn't... wouldn't believe it... –"Will I be able to see them?"

"No, the minute Emma enters the system you're not allowed to contact her and Nate..." Dan could see the worse coming – "The judge order a restraining order in which you're not allow Nate within a 100 yards, they are not going to incarcerate you for the supposed abduction but they are not letting you near any of the children."

Dan was devastated, his reasons for living taken away from him forever. He cried his tears turn into anger and then he said: "She wins."

When he stepped back into the lobby, Chuck was talking to the Social Services agents; Blair was nowhere to be seen.

"No. Daddy, daddy..." Both his kids were running downstairs, Eleanor followed, when they reached the lobby they ran towards their dad and he embraced both of them. He didn't want to let go.

"She said I was going back with her, she said you abducted me, she keeps saying you took me and pretended she was the one she left and that Emma is not your real daughter." Nate burst into tears.

"I'm sorry guys. I'm so sorry, I fail you." Blair came down, she had red eyes. –"You have no right. Don't you dare lie to my son."

"He is not your son." – Chuck had been waiting all afternoon to say those words, when he finally did, he couldn't help to smile.

"Dad, can we go home please?" Dan turned his attention back to his children.

"I'm sorry sweetheart but that's not going to happen. Remember when I told you, that there were some people trying to separate us... they succeeded..." His voice broke once more and tears start running through his face –"Emma you are going to go and live with a nice family and you won't need anything from me and Nate you're going back to living with your mom."

"Sir, we have to go" One of the social workers reached for Emma but she ran towards his father and hug him tightly.

"No dad, please don't let them take me. I need you." The girl wouldn't let go.

"Hey, hey everything is going to be ok, baby, remember what I told you, we are always going to be together..."- He put his finger in her heart –"Right here, ok? Always, no matter what. And Emma, sweetie, I love you, always remember that."

He looked at Emma and Nate and said –"Your father loves you, please never forget that. We will always be a family." The social worker grabbed Emma and climb into the elevator, Chuck took Nate and pull him inside too, leaving Dan all alone, he could hear his children cries.

Where had she been all this time? She had just walked in. Dan looked at her all he could think about is how much he hated her.

"I hope he forgives you because I never will."


	6. No reason

_5 years had passed_

"Denied" - Dan had spent the whole trial looking down, staring at the floor.

Cyrus tapped him in the shoulder, grabbed his suitcase and left, they had been trying to remove the restriction order but this was their last chance, that same morning Eleanor came in with the news, Blair and Chuck were moving to Chicago, Nate was leaving with them. That same morning Dan came into a resolution. –"This is it, if the restriction order is not taken away, I'm done, I haven't seen him in 5 years, he probably doesn't remember me, There's no point of fighting anymore."

For the past five years Eleanor tried really hard to keep him informed in his son's progress but Chuck wouldn't allow her to give him any pictures and she had troubled visiting them because she couldn't be around them long without feeling disgusted, but at least Dan knew he was ok. On the other had Emma was gone, he tried to find the family who adopted her but there was no luck.

Now in the court house, hearing the verdict, he encountered a resolution.

-"Hello son" Rufus reach for his son and hug him, he hated to see him like this and to know there was nothing he could do. "I'm so sorry, but you have to keep fighting... Humphreys are the giving up kind."

His father had been a great support during the whole process and he never let him break but this time there was nothing he could say to make him change his mind.

"I joined the army." Like in great movies, the unexpected happen.

"Dad?" - A tiny voice came from behind his back and made him chilled. Nate was standing behind his back, he wasn't sure the man in front of him was in fact his father –"Nate I told you to wait for me" –Blair appeared at the door and freeze. "Oh... I'm sorry we didn't meant to interrupt"

"Dad, it's me, Nate" The eleven year old didn't know what to do next so he ran and hug his father from the back waiting for him to hug him back, it didn't happen. Dan took his son hands which were around his waist and unhooked him.

"I'm not your father, kid" –Dan was now facing his son but wouldn't look him in the eye, Nate didn't understand his father's attitude, what had he done wrong? Did he blame him for not being able to see him?

"But you said... dad what's wrong, I'm your son remember? – But Dan wasn't looking at him he was just staring into the wall as if his son was a chair stepping in his way to the door; the truth was that, inside him, he was screaming, he wanted to tell his son how much his missed him and how much he loved him but he couldn't, he was determined to let go from everything that tide him to the life he was leaving behind.

Blair didn't understand what was going on either, many times she had pictured this encounter in her mind and it always ended on Dan reinforcing his promise to Nate, but this, the complete indifference that Dan was showing towards them, took her by surprise.

"I have to go" Without adding another word Dan went straight to the door and left searching for his new life, every step to the outside world was a complete torture because he couldn't bear to see the pain in his son's eyes and he knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself from what he had caused in just a moment.

Nate burst into tears. Blair didn't move and kept thinking, when Dan did became such a soulless man and how can a man give a kid so much sorrow?

Could she blame him or should she blame herself? She ran to the elevator before the doors close, Dan was very surprised to see her in there, he quickly clean the tears that had all over his face. The elevator started moving; Blair let it pass three floors when she finally pushed the emergency bottom.

"It's not his fault" Dan kept staring at the door.

"He loves you" He slowly turned to face her. "I know I have no right to... to demand anything from you but he doesn't deserved your disdain" Dan look at her for a moment then turned his sight to the ground and whispered "Why not come back?" Blair wasn't really expecting this question; in her mind this particular conversation always begun with the Dan asking her why had she left him and she trying to explain her reasons. It took her a moment to get her thoughts clear.

"I... I wanted to come back, the minute I left" The tension in the elevator felt like six years of repressed feelings. "Why didn't you?" They could barely look at each other for a couple of seconds before removing their stares.

"I couldn't" Blair wasn't ready for this.

"You couldn't or you wouldn't?" The anger in his voices was increasing, he had trouble controlling his feelings but he didn't want her to see him broken.

"It's complicated" She hated herself after saying those words.

"Complicated? After all this time you tell me is complicated, let me explain you complicated... Complicated is receiving a kid one week after you left, complicated is raising two kids on your own while you're suffocating, trying to find reasons to keep going, complicated is not being able to explain to your son why his mother left, complicated is having to tell your kids they will no longer live with you, explaining your three year old daughter she is going to a strangers home and she won't see you again. Complicated is having to break your son's heart because you have to move on, complicated is standing in front of the woman you thought was the love of your life knowing that whatever she says will break your heart; don't say complicated."

"I'm sorry; I know you deserve an explanation but... I still have trouble putting in order the facts, it's hard and..."

"Why? Are you ashamed?"

"I... Something happened with Chuck, before we got married."

"So are marriage wasn't real either?" The rage and anger he had inside could be heard in his voice. "Wait... I get it..."

"No you don't understand" Blair interrupted.

"No, no, no... that day, the day I proposed you said something that I never understood but got stocked in mind, you said... _you're the only one that could forgive me from anything_ I always wonder why say that? You were looking for some reassurance you were expecting all of this to happen."

Blair remembered that day and once again it hunted her.

Blair remembered that day and why she said those words but she wasn't sure now that Dan could forgive her from anything.

_September 3__rd__ 2012 _

_The text read: I'm running late but I'm coming. Dan put the phone in his pocket and look around, he was so nervous like he had never been before but then again he had never done this before and the one think he couldn't figure out was how the hell he ended up there? Blair Waldorf. Well she was coming and he didn't want to ruin the surprise so he went downstairs and waited. _

_She got out of the car, she was wearing a beautiful blue dress nothing to fancy or at least that's what he thought, Blair would have killed him if she knew he hadn't recognized her Prada. _

"_I'm so sorry Dan" She said as soon as she got of the car. _

"_Don't worry about it" He whisper while leaning to kiss her, she brushed her lips against his and then grabbed his hand while he lead her inside._

"_Where are we?" She didn't recognize the place, there was a table settle in the middle of it but apart from that she couldn't see anything. _

_Dan's palms where sweating so he let go of her and sigh. "A friend lend it to me, I thought of having something intimate you know to celebrate."_

"_Celebrate what?" _

"_Us; You and me, our relationship" She wasn't listening, it appeared as her mind was somewhere else "Blair, is everything ok?" _

"_What? Yeah everything is fine, are we having dinner? I'm starving." _

"_Sure" He frowned he tried to reach her sight but she avoided it. _

_Dinner was fine and after it Dan asked her for a dance. _

"_I love you" He said, a quiet song was playing while they dance. _

"_I love you too" _

"_Blair, I love you, I love the way you walk, even when you are annoying and uncooperative, when you pretend you don't care, I love the independent and fearless, demanding, intelligent, beautiful woman you are and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Blair Waldorf will you marry me?"_

_For the first time in the whole night he had her fully attention, she looked up at him straight in the eye the same way she did when they were discussing something serious and for a few seconds that felt like years to him she just kept staring. _

"_Yes" She finally said and kissed him, that night he felt like the happiest man on Earth, she loved him, not anyone else and she was going to become his wife, sure it was going to be tough at times but he knew it was totally worth it. _

_They walked back to the loft and that's when she said it "You're the only one who could forgive me from anything" she didn't realize it but she was thinking out loud and when he asked her what she had just said she simply answered "Nothing" At that moment he didn't care. _

But now everything was back in both their minds. Unbelievable, all this time he had been living a lie, thinking that there was a reason for her leaving but the truth was that the only reason it just didn't make sense.

"I'm going, stay out of my life for good" He huffed, he pushed the elevator stop button which reach the lobby and left. Blair stood there mesmerized what had just happened. The doors close again and she felt to the ground crying.


	7. Back to reality

_Dear Father, _

_I'm sorry I haven't communicated in over 5 months but even though we aren't in constant action, time flies and suddenly it's been five months since I left. I have to say this is very different of what I expected but I think I'm finally in peace with myself, I've begun to let go of my past or at least some of it, I realized that with time I might be able to forgive some people and forgive myself for being a fool but where I stand right now is good, not perfecto but what I'm doing feels right. _

_War is all around us, I have seen horrible things, I'm not going to lie and sometimes I wonder if I took it too far, but there's something about being in constant risk and going back to base every night that makes me feel alive, I needed that after so much time chasing something that wasn't mine I finally found something worth living for, it's kind of hard to explain but the point is I'm in peace surrounded by war, oxymoron too much? _

_Thank you for Nate's picture, it's hard to think of him as Chuck's son but distance helps and someday I will be able to accept it completely, I'm glad he's doing fine and even though I know he is not my son I will always love that kid, just as I will always love Emma and even Milo. It's amazing how such little creatures penetrate your soul and get tattoo in your heart. God I miss them. _

_I have to stop this now, I have to go do rounds but I'll try to write you as soon as possible it doesn't sound much of a promise but give a the guy a break. _

_I love you _

_Dan _

"Humphrey, we're leaving" roared one of his comrades.

"Right back atcha" He quickly hurry following his mate but his mind was still full of memories.

Dan joined the army hours after the judge's decision, he wanted to escape and running away to Afghanistan or Iraq seemed like a good idea, thinking clear after going through hell it's never the human beings strength, so there he was, a year later in the middle of nowhere forgetting or trying to forget, but you just can't wake up one day and leave behind your wife's betrayal, all that you thought was true, gone in a blink of the eyes, vanished.

All of this was going through Dan's head when it happened; he stepped on a mine and...

Dan woke up, he didn't know where he was the last thing he remembered was being in the middle of a watch out... He stepped on a mine and then everything went black.

"Corporal Humphrey, good to see you awake" A doctor walked into the room which was large and had 3 beds line up in each side "I'm doctor Rivas"

Dan look up, he was still confuse and barely aware of his situation.

"Where am I?" he asked abashed.

"You're at Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre in Germany; you're going to be transferred a military facility in New York, we still need confirmation of where and when, of course we need to check your heath first, all right? Could you take a deep breath for me?"

Dan inhaled and exhaled a few times.

"Everything seems finds, could you stand up?"

He began to straight in his bed and suddenly he realized something, Dan started to panic.

"What's wrong?"

"I... I can't move my legs." He huffed, he try again to move his legs and through himself in the pillows dejectedly.

The doctor approached the far end of the bed and grabbed his pen.

"Corporal Humphrey can you feel this?" he asked while placing the tip of the pen in his soul of his foot.

"No" Dan said with tears in his eyes, the doctor kept going with his examination all the way up to his thighs in which he felt very little but almost imperceptible, with each fail feeling Dan began to more and more discouraged, he could barely hold the tears in his eyes.

"Corporal, I know is hard but there are a couple of reasons why you don't feel anything below your hips, you suffered from an injury to your spinal cord in your x-rays we were able to see very little due to the swelling, this could be the reason why you can't walk; on the other hand there is also the possibility that your spinal cord has some damage, in any case we're going to have to run some test when the swell is down, this will probably be taken in US where the facilities are more adequate for this kind of tests." As any good doctor his said all this in a confident yet not compromising tone.

Dan was having trouble following all his words, his thoughts were going through every moment of his life that led him there, lying on a bed with the possibility of not being able to walk ever again.

"Corporal?" he probably had been staring a spot for a while. "Do you understand?"

"What? Yeah... tests..." Everything the doctor just said feels unnerving and as if it was a nightmare in which he needs to wake up and realize he never left Afghanistan.

"Is there anyone you would like us to contact? A relative or friend?" The hospital tried to find next of kin but there was no contact listed in Corporal Humphrey's file.

"No, I..." for a moment Dan considered calling his father but that would probably meant everyone in UES to find out where he was and he definitely didn't want any of their pity and he specially didn't wanted Blair to see him marred. "No, sir... sorry, no, thank you."

"All right, do you feel any pain?" Dan hadn't realized it but now that the doctor was asking he did felt some sort of bruising in his back and his head was starting to ache badly.

"My back hurts and I have a headache."

"That's normal with this sort of injuries but don't worry I'm going to get your nurse, and I'll order some painkillers they will help you with the ache and bruising as well as let you rest some more; in the meantime I'll check upon those transfer orders." He left leaving Dan thinking how Gossip Girl had always been right, Lonely Boy fair and square.


	8. Light

The past few weeks were full of uncertainty and darkness, he was transferred a week later he woke up; the swelling decreased but he still he couldn't move his legs, the doctors didn't have a lot of hope but they weren't sure he wouldn't walk either apparently his spinal cord was damage but it wasn't really clear to confirm a diagnostic of permanent disability.

The weeks kept going and he still couldn't move his legs, his mood was unbearable. How did it happen? From being a father, to a soldier, to having nothing, absolutely nothing back in his first days of High School he couldn't have imagine being any more lonely, now he was beyond lonely he was also paralyzed.

"Corporal, how are you feeling?" The nurse on duty asked.

Dan groaned, these days the nurses were lucky if they could get three words out of his mouth.

"I have good news" Again she only received a groan "Your doctor says you're ready to go home."

"I don't have a home"

For the first time in his life, he took the elevator up, being in a wheelchair gives you a complete different perspective of life, all the things he thought he would be doing when he got back to the US were gone.

The loft was empty, exactly the way he had left it there was a lot of dust in the surfaces but you could breathe some kind of peace in it.

He consider calling his father, letting him know that he was back, he looked down to his legs, probably not the best idea, he needed to find a way to break the news to him.

There was a knock on the door.

"Hi, I'm looking for..." A young woman was standing in the foyer; next to her was a young girl probably 11 or 12 years old. "Daniel Humphrey, I'm sorry, someone gave us this address but we're obviously wrong."

"I'm Daniel Humphrey"

"Dad?" The little girl spoke timidly.

"I'm sorry kid, I'm not your dad, I have no children."

"Emma let's go, they probably gave us the wrong address." Dan look up immediately, could it be? The woman grabbed the little girls hand but she wouldn't move. "Emma, come on."

"Wait, your name is Emma" She looked so big and grown up, she was really pretty.

"Can we come in?" This time Emma was the one that spoke.

"I don't think that's a really good idea" The woman hadn't expected seeing Dan in a wheelchair and now their visit didn't feel like such a good idea, they had come because Emma had insisted.

"Sure" He move out of the way and let them in, Emma went in immediately, what he supposed was her mother hesitated a bit but then follow her. "Please sit down, can I offer you anything water, tea?"

"No, thank you" Emma is so polite that makes Dan smile; he knew that she would grow to become a beautiful girl but then again every dad is proud of the manners of their children especially when they haven't seen them in years and they have become little ladies.

"All right" he approaches the living room; their eyes follow the path of the wheelchair by now he is use to the sad look in people's faces but then again he never thought his daughter was going to be one of them, he looks at her but in her face all he can see is happiness.

"Mr. Humphrey we really don't want to disturb."

Dan looked back to the woman. "I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't get your name"

"Goodwill, Teresa Goodwill."

"Well Mrs. Goodwill, I guess you're Emma's mother and you probably know that, I'm not allowed anywhere near her."

"I'm Emma's tutor, for now, her adoptive parents... well they passed away, car accident."

"I'm sorry to hear that" Dan told Emma, the little girl answer with a half smile. "But still what can I do?"

"Emma's parents left a will in which they declared you as Emma's tutor because you were in Afghanistan at the time the accident happened, I was name as her temporal tutor but you're back and I have to make sure their wishes come true."

"And those wishes concern me how?" Dan wondered.

"They wanted you to become Emma's dad, again." Teresa said it like it was something obvious.

Emma was staring at Dan; Dan turned his sight to her.

"I... I don't know what to say... my condition I... I don't know if... Do you want to live with me?" he asked softly to Emma.

"Yes" she shrieked and ran to hug him; he opened his arms and hugged her back.

"Emma, can I speak to this lady, alone? Just a moment"

"Sure, dad I'll go wait in my room" His heart shrunk after all this time she still remembered where her room was, he was completely overwhelmed by her and he didn't wanted to let her go but he had to consider his condition.

"Is all this true? I don't want to give hope to an eleven year" A few weeks ago, all he ever wanted was to forget about his kids, then the accident happen and thought that it was for the best for them to be with someone who could take care of them but know...

"I'm here to see Emma's adoptive parents wishes are follow, I asked her if she would like to live with you again, as you can see she is willing to and rather happy with that, I have to admit I didn't expect to find you in your current condition but I see no problem for you to take care of her although I do have to report this to Social Services and they will probably order some kind of follow up, that of course if you want to."

Dan wanted to, really, really wanted to get one of his kids back, all this time trying to forget them only manage to make them more real but then the accident happen and all he wanted to do was see the time pass, Emma, Emma could become his salvation, she could be the reason to move forward, but could he do it? Could he raise a child from a wheelchair? Could she handle it?

"I don't know, I'm not sure if I'm the best option." He said with sincerity.

"Mr. Humphrey I don't see why you can't take of her, I understand you have a pension from the army so being unemployed for now won't be a problem, you're a writer, a talented one I read your book Inside and I have to admit you did good, finding a job or publisher won't be hard and if it is we can always look on your options, the only thing that's important right now is, do you want to have Emma as your daughter again?"

That was it, no problem with his disability, no trouble with the lack of job just that, yes or no, really?

He got up and went to the spare room where he knew Emma was, he wasn't surprise no find her near the door listening everything that was being said in the living room.

"Come over here sweetie" Emma walked slowly towards him and stopped at a reasonable distance "Do you really want to this? You don't mind I'm in a wheelchair?"

"I don't care you're in a wheelchair" she seemed ashamed of what she was going to say next but she still said it "Dad I don't want to be far away from you again."

He hadn't smiled that much in over 6 years, life was giving him something in return, he was a full thinking he couldn't have it.

"All right kiddo, let's bring your stuff home."


	9. New beginning

"So..."

"So..."

Dan and Emma were sitting in front of each other, they had spent their entire afternoon fixing the room for her so it had everything she needed, painting wasn't an option but they still manage to have it look a lot more like a girl's room and at least dust wasn't laying everywhere.

"You first" Dan conceded.

Emma looked up at him and he knew what her question was.

"You want to know, how I ended up in a wheelchair?"

"Yes but you don't have to answer if you don't want to" She replied quickly.

"You have the right to know and kiddo, you can ask me anything ok?" She nodded "All right, well after everything that happen, when you and Nate were taken away from me, I was very lonely I had nothing left, you meant the world to me, you still do but back then I had nothing."

"Is that why you joined the army?" The curiosity was rising inside Emma and she was finding it hard to control bursting a million questions towards him at once.

"Part of me wanted to get away, the other part wanted to stay and keep on trying" Dan was trying to explain his kid everything but he knew he couldn't tell and 11 year old how can woman tear a family apart just because after all she could had been her mother and he didn't wanted her to get the impression he still hold a grudge, which he kind of did but she didn't need to know that, not right now.

"And why didn't you?"

This was a conversation Dan had never planned, he never thought he'd see Emma again and there she was, out of everyone in his life she was the first asking him the tough questions.

"Because I was tired, and hopeless, I was defeated and I had no-one to lean on, so I took the easy way out and left"

"How is it like? What do you feel when you are at war? Were you scared?"

"Woo woo, wow... Slow down..." he said raising his hands apparently handling herself was getting harder by the minute "Yes I was scare, but I was in peace at the same time, somehow being there putting some distance between me and you guys made things easier, maybe it was because I had a fully occupied mind most of the time."

Emma was hanging to every one of his words and because she didn't speak again he kept going.

"Of course I missed you, and I thought about you but then one day during a patrol I stepped on a mine, I was unconscious for some time and when I woke up I couldn't walk, and I thought that everything that I had lived had led to that same moment in which Nate and you were happy and didn't have to deal with all the single parent problems or any other I might have brought to you."

Putting it out there, saying those words to an actual human being and not to himself it almost felt like therapy, maybe it was, maybe he was healing at last, after years and years of constant suffering this was what life has to offer him, parenting his little girl, being able to show her that sometimes destiny gets here so unexpectedly that you have to wait patiently and something good will come.

"Will you ever walk again?" She looked concerned but not because she wanted him to walk more like she wanted to know if he had made peace with life and the fact that his final challenge was being disabled.

"I... the doctors... they don't... they couldn't tell me, they don't know why I can't walk, they thought it was because of the swelling but after it reduce and I couldn't walk they were disconcerted so they sent me home"

"Just like that, they won't help you, they gave up?" Emma was taken aback.

"It's not their fault... I... I didn't wanted to spent anymore time in the hospital so I left without being discharged, I know no the best idea but I was tired of being tied up to a bed, with people doing tests on m every now and then, I felt like I was being used so I left."

"But dad what if they discovered something or the reason why you couldn't walk, what if you just need to take some medicine or rehab?" Dan looked at his daughter of course she wanted him to walk but that was exactly why he had left, maybe there was a slight possibility he could walk again but if that was true and then it didn't happen he would feel like a complete fool.

"Emma, I can't walk and I don't want you to get your hopes up that someday I'll be able to walk because I won't, I'm fine with that but if that's a problem for you and you think you can't handle you should tell me know and we'll find a solution."

"No, don't change things don't make this about me, you know I'm right you shouldn't have left but you were scared and lonely, I get that but now I'm here and we could face this together we are a family and even if you don't walk again there's nothing that stops you from trying but yourself." She said this looking directly into his eyes and Dan knew she could read straight through him.

Dan sighed "What have they done to you? You were barely speaking when I left you and know you are giving me advice on my life? If you stay out of my love life I will allow some comments on my personal life"

"Like the fact you need a haircut and a shave?" She scoffed with a smile.

"Ha, for that I get to ask a question you little dork" His smiling and happy, and she grinned. They are finally finding the harmony they had missed for years.

"Shoot"

"Ready, ready?" He loved teasing her, he's getting to know her again but he can see she still that deep inside she still three year old Emma who makes his heart skip a beat every time she laughs.

"Dad you do realize that you just asked a question right?" She said this raising her eyebrows and tilting her head.

"Oh you're smarter too, will you allow me to ask one more question my lady?" Dan could see how his girl was already getting everything she wanted with her brains and charm.

"Yes mister, you may ask one more question" Emma enjoyed having his father wrap around her finger.

"Thank you, so... will you forgive me?" He held his breath waiting for her answer.

She looked puzzle, forgive him? For what?

"I don't understand, forgive you? For what exactly?"

"For not being there, for letting them drifted us away, for allowing such an injustice, for being a coward and not staying." As the words come out of his mouth he pictures Emma crying and needing a hug, riding a bike for the first time, going to the zoo, all the things he didn't get to share with her and Nate because... he needed her forgiveness and that's it, the past is past.

"Dad you don't need my forgiveness, you had it the minute you open the door and let me in, actually no, you had it when I was able to make sense of your words, you're the only one that ever taught me what a real family looks like and I have been moving forward thanks to that, you were always my father and you will always be"


	10. Trying

"Hey wake up sunshine" Emma opened her eyes slowly and yawned, Dan was sitting next to her stroking her hair to wake her, she turned and smiled at him.

"What time is it?" she asked while she scratched her eyes and stretched.

"It's almost seven, time to get up" He hated waking her up because he loved watching her sleep peacefully and vulnerable but not today, today is an important day and she needs to get ready.

"Five more minutes" he usually allowed her those extra minutes but not today, she needed to be ready.

"Nop, it's your first day at you knew school, we don't want you to be late for that one, do we?"

"What's wrong with the old one?" She didn't want to go to a new school and being as stubborn as she was; her fight wasn't over just yet.

"We've already talked about it; your other school is too far away." Emma grabbed her blankets and hide completely underneath, Dan looked at er and smiled, who was he kidding the girl had him wrapped around her finger.

"Come on, you know better than that" She shocked her head or at least that's what he thought she did, when the blankets move from one wide to the other. "All right..." He said rolling his wheelchair and heading for the door "then I'll have to eat all the pancakes on my own" And eye peek from under the blankets, not to convinced "and after school I'll have to have lonely ice-cream in the park" Emma got up as fast as she could, with tangled hair and sleepy eyes, Dan turned around and stared at the mess in front of him and sighed.

It took some time, but they finally settle into a routine, Dan would wake up, shower, wake up Emma, she got dressed while he made breakfast, she would eat and he would comb her hair, after a few months he had master various hair styles, and then, they would brushed their teeth and head out for school; Emma had no trouble settling in and not long after she had joined the school she was invited to multiple parties, having friends over, well, that was a complete different subject.

"So, how was school?" Every single day, Dan would pick up Emma and they would go back to the loft discussing everything she'd learnt or the things they were going to do.

There was no answer and the little girl just kept walking, Dan immediately knew something was wrong, there was no hello kiss, not even a "Hey dad" salute, he thought maybe her daughter had a bad day and she would tell him about it whenever she was ready, probably over supper or dinner.

"Ok, do you want to go to the park?" Still no answer, she appeared as if she wasn't listening but Dan knew she'd heard him. "I'll take that as a no"

They arrived to the loft and instead of sitting down in front of the already settle table, Emma went to her room and closed the door, more like slammed the door, Dan startled and frowned but decide to give her some space to wear it off, he ate supper on his own and finished a chapter of the book he was currently writing, then he started to worry, he rolled to her daughter's room and knocked gently.

"Is anyone in there?" He closed one eye and looked up, waiting for the answer "Emma... hey sweetheart open up... please" After a while, tiny steps approached the door and a pair of eyes showed when the door opened a bit.

"Dad, go away" She was about to shut the door again, but even though he was in a wheelchair, he was still stronger than Emma and stopped her, he shocked his head, the girl sighed and let him in, she sat on the bed and Dan placed himself in front of her, he could see she'd been crying, her puffy red eyes giving her away.

"What's wrong, Emma?" The girl looked away, she had let him in because she had no choice but she wasn't going to talk "Hey, hey look at me" He said snapping his fingers in front of her daughter's lost sight, she closed her eyes and then glared at him "Sweetheart, whatever it is you can tell me, I'll try to fix it"

"You can't fix it" was her response.

"Ok, won't you let me know what it is; at least I can try to fix it"

"You can't fix it because you're the problem" She said this regretting it, the moment the words left her mouth, Dan looked at her in shock, he knew was hurt by her daughter's words but he still didn't know if he deserved them.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, too ashamed to look at him, a sole tear left ran down her cheek.

"Hey..." He posed a hand on her cheek "You have to trust me; we're a team and I need to know why you're mad at me, what did I do?"

"I... invited Nicole, my friend from school, and I asked her mother if she could sleepover... she said that we could be friends at school but she would never allowed Nicole to come over... ever" She started sobbing and Dan grabbed her and sat her on his lap.

"Did she tell you why?" Her head was resting on his shoulder and his hand was rubbing her back.

"She... she said because of you..." Emma raised her head and looked at him "Did you do something to her?"

Dan smiled while beginning to understand the situation, of course parents wouldn't be very confident of letting their children alone with a single dad and he felt such a dumbass for not having considered this any sooner.

"Emma I want you to listen to me carefully, I haven't done anything wrong but... people... parents have prejudices towards me and our situation" he tried to explain her tactfully that her mum's friends was a prejudice bitch who would think he was a rapist before even meeting him, the confused look on Emma's face brought him back into the conversation "What I'm trying to say is... I'm a single parent and most parents don't find it very... normal and they probably have trouble with me watching out their kids"

"But, why? You're a great dad" The statement was accurate Dan would never even think of harming or hurting a child and he couldn't be a more devoted and loving father, his condition of being in a wheelchair did carry a bit of attention, not that he cared and he thought that this would give them most of their problems with other people he never thought being a single dad would create such a big mess.

"Well... first of all it's just you and me and..."

"I don't have a mom, is that it?" her defeated tone came out as a whisper loud enough to crush Dan's heart into pieces, he remain in shocked and turned back into reality.

"No, no... Not exactly... it's more to the fact I don't have a wife... but you do have a mom"

"I know... I know..." Even though she loved his dad she hated how protective he could get specially on your mother left you, twice, subject; Emma knew that she was adopted and her supposed adoptive mother never actually got to see her until years later when she took her brother but despite all the trauma this may cause in a little girl, Emma being way more mature than the girls of her age had manage to find peace with it and was really happy to have such a wonderful dad who was better than any of her almost mothers.

"But I still don't get why she wouldn't let her come?"

"Because parents are very protective of their children and they rather keep them close, and I know is hard to understand but for example I wouldn't let you go with a person I haven't met that would be irresponsible of me and that's exactly how Nicole's mother feels about me, she doesn't know me so she won't let her come"

Emma seemed to understand and Dan couldn't help to feel relief, this was definitely going into his good parenting score.

"Don't worry I'll go to your school tomorrow and talk to her, I'm sure she'll change her mind eventually"

A wide grin formed into his daughter's face and he reached out and hugged her, one down and God knows how many more to go, Dan thought.


End file.
